


Noir et Blanc

by SpaceButterflies



Series: The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Friends [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brotherly Love, Family Drama, Félix and Adrien are brothers and no one can tell me otherwise, Félix has pent up frustration and needs to Fight Something, Gabriel Agreste is a bad father, Gen, It's a Chat Blanc fic but with A Twist™, Secrets, Tags Contain Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-05 15:53:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16370591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceButterflies/pseuds/SpaceButterflies
Summary: Adrien's older brother Félix returns home from college. He's not sure how long his brother's visit will be, but he's excited nonetheless to tell him about all the things that have happened since he's started going to school and to just spend some one on one time with him like they did when they were kids.But, things don't go as well as he hoped. In fact, it's the opposite of that.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo, welcome to Noir et Blanc, a ML fic I started writing earlier this year but never got around to finishing. I do hope you enjoy it.
> 
> **While Noir et Blanc can be read as a standalone fic, I recommend reading Apathique, first as it's directly referenced in the first chapter and you may be a little confused if you haven't read it already. https://archiveofourown.org/works/15136421/chapters/35098682 Thanks a bunch!

Marinette rummages through her locker, putting her textbooks in her backpack while humming a nameless tune. It's been two weeks since the fire. Tom had been released from the hospital earlier this week but was on strict orders to stay in bed for another week, and so far things were okay. It was a little frustrating for Tikki to stay hidden all the time as the Dupain-Cheng's stayed with the Césaire family, but it beat out staying at some hotel. _Especially_ Chloés family's hotel.

One thing worried her though. There hasn't been a singe akuma since she had been akumatized into Apathique. Which is something she should be grateful for, only having to transform for a few hours of patrol, it was a godsend after everything that happened earlier that month. But still, she couldn't help but worry that Hawk Moth was planning something big.

 

"Hey, Marinette," Alya taps her on the shoulder, pulling her from her thoughts. "You wanna grab something to eat or something? I'm starving," she asks as she puts her bag on her arm. 

"Oh, yeah, that sounds good," Marinette answers with a nod. "Maybe we can try that food truck at the park, Luka says the food there is good."

Alya gives her a sly grin, looking at her from over her glasses. "You've been spending a lot of time with Luka lately... Just what's going on between you two?"

"Nothing!" she responds, voice higher than usual. She quickly shuts her locker and regains her composure. "I mean, nothing's going on. We're just friends."

"Uh huh, sure." Alya slings an arm around Marinette's shoulders. "Come on, lets go eat before my stomach eats itself."

 

Adrien leans on the wall outside the boys' bathroom, waiting for Nino. He absentmindedly scrolls through his phone as a song by Jagged Stone plays through his headphones. He pauses when he comes across an article on Alya's Ladyblog, and with a tap from his thumb, it's open. He smiles.

The article was about the 'new' Ladybug that appeared two weeks ago, only to never be seen again. There was a blurry picture, but Adrien could make out the figure of the temporary Ladybug. The temporary Ladybug had been a live saver when Marinette was akumatized, if he hadn't shown up when he did... He didn't want to think what would have happened.

Adrien looks up from his phone when Nino emerges from the bathroom, turns off his music and pockets his phone. 

"You heading home?" Nino asks while drying his hands on his shirt.

"Yeah," he nods, waving to Marinette and Alya when they pass by. "I wish I could hang out though, but unless I have fencing or a photoshoot..." he trails off into a sigh.

Nino pats his shoulder. "I know dude, I know."

 

"Adrien looked so sad just now..." Marinette mumbles. "I hope he's okay."

"He's probably upset about not being able to hang out," Alya says. "You know how his dad is."

Marinette simply nods. It wasn't fair, Adrien had every right to hang out with his friends after school. He didn't deserve to be cooped up in his house all the time. She couldn't imagine ever living like that. Growing up not being allowed to go outside, and with only _Chloé Bourgeois_ for a friend.

"Marinette, watch out!"

Before she can question Alya's frantic warning, the world slips out from under her, and she goes flying forward. She lets out a startled cry and puts her arms out to try and catch herself, but instead of concrete, she finds herself with her face buried in a dark grey wool vest.

"Are you alright?" Marinette blinks a few times before looking up at who caught her. He was young, probably in his twenties, with blonde hair that stopped just above his shoulders and cool light blue eyes. He somehow looks familiar. "Miss?"

"O-oh! Yes, I'm okay!" with his help, she's back on her feet. "Thank you,"

"You need to be more careful," he bends down to pick up her backpack and holds it out to her. He then shoots a glare to the skateboard she had tripped on. "You could have been seriously hurt." 

Marinette's cheeks turn pink. "R-right."

 

"What's going on?" Nino asks Alya as he and Adrien walk over. 

"Marinette tripped on a skateboard," she answers nonchalantly. Marinette tripping over _something_ was a common thing. Be it due to her being over excited, not paying attention, or in most cases, both. "But," she nods her head towards the young man scolding Marinette about being more careful. "She's okay."

Adrien's eyes light up upon seeing the young man. "Félix!" he calls, gaining his attention. Both turn to him, and Félix smiles fondly at him. Before any of his friends could ask what was going on, he rushes forward, tightly hugging him around the middle. "You're home!"

Félix returns Adrien's embrace. "Hey, kid," 

 

Nino and Alya share a glance before joining Marinette's side, watching the reunion unfold. Adrien's mood had done a complete 180, and they haven't really seen him this happy before. The young man, Félix seemed to lighten up too, and the way they were talking with one another was so familiar. Then it clicks into place.

"Oh, that's his brother," Nino concludes.

"It's pretty obvious," Alya comments. "I mean... They look a lot alike."

Marinette is unable to say anything as her brain tries to process everything. She had tripped and fallen into the arms of a stranger. This stranger turned out to be Félix Agreste. _Adrien's_ older brother. The eldest child of _Gabriel Agreste_. Her face burns with embarrassment. She's really good at making a fool of herself in front of the Agreste family.

They watch as Adrien takes Félix's hand in his own, excitedly pulling him over to them. "I want you to meet my friends; Nino, Alya, and Marinette." he turns to his friends. "Guys, this is my big brother, Félix."

Félix gives a polite smile and wave. "It's nice to meet you, Adrien has told me a lot about you in his emails."

"It's nice to finally meet you," Nino says shaking his hand. "He's been telling me all about you ever since he found out you were coming to visit."

"Yeah, we've never seen him this excited for anything before," Alya adds.

Marinette takes notice of how Félix's demeanor changes at that. He's suddenly much less composed and more embarrassed, nervous even. She clears her throat and takes Alya and Nino by the arm.

"Let's leave them to catch up, okay?" she looks to Adrien and Félix and smiles. "It was nice meeting you, and thank you again for catching me." she then proceeds to drag Alya and Nino down the sidewalk, pausing only to give one last wave to the brothers.

Adrien smiles and waves back at his friends. "They're really nice, Félix, they're the best friends anyone could ever ask for." he looks up at him. "and talk about a stroke of good luck that you were able to keep Marinette from getting hurt." the last thing the Dupain-Cheng's needed was another hospital bill.

 

"Luck, huh?" Félix repeats under his breath. "You know I've never been one to have good luck," he says, causing Adrien to scowl. He starts to fiddle with the black ring he wore on his right hand. "Bad luck has always followed me like the plague."


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys. I don't really have much to say other than enjoy! Thanks for reading!

Félix and Adrien sit in an awkward silence. Neither of them knowing what to say, so they sit in silence as they wait for the traffic to start moving again.

Félix glances in the rearview mirror, not at all surprised when he sees Gorilla in the car directly behind them. He was a little surprised that he was willing to turn the blind eye when Adrien asked to ride with him back to the mansion. He'll need to thank him properly later.

Adrien stares at his hands in his lap, mostly at his ring. He was itching to tell his older brother _everything_ that's happened since they've last seen each other. But he knows he can't. He takes a glance at Félix, finally taking notice of his ring. He snorts.

"You kept that?" he asks, causing the older to glance at his hand.

"Of course I did," Félix responds. "My favorite brother gave it to me, why wouldn't I?"

"I'm your only brother."

"So you still don't know about Philippe,"

"Wait, what?" Adrien sits up in his seat. He pouts when Félix laughs. "You're such a jerk." he continues to stare at Félix's ring, nostalgia washing over him. 

He remembers when he picked it out when he was only nine. It was a going away present for Félix. Their mother had been the one to order it, but he paid for it with the money he had gotten for his birthday and Christmas. His father said it was tacky, but Félix still smiled and put it on without a moment's hesitation. He picked it because it had a cat on it, and it was way cooler than the ring he used to wear. 

His eyebrows knit together as he finds himself unable to recall what his brother's old ring looked like. It was simple and much more his style, but that's all he can remember for sure.

 

"So, how is everything at home?" Félix asks. Things were tense, to say the least, the last time he'd visited, and he felt like he should mentally prepare himself for whatever may be happening.

Adrien shrugs. "Fine I guess," he leans on the window, resting his chin in his palm. "Father's busy as always, so it's really quiet. The only thing that's really different is I get to leave for a few hours on weekdays..." he mumbles into his hand. "How long are you going to be home?"

"A while. Probably for a few weeks."

Adrien smiles. For the first time in who knows how long, he'd have someone to talk to, to eat dinner with, and a reason to want to be at home. Even if it's only for a few weeks.

 

"We're home!" Adrien calls out as he and Félix enter the mansion. There was an extra pep in his step as he bee-lined towards Gabriel's office, Félix on his heels. They both poke their heads in the room, just as they did when they were younger.

They say nothing as they watch their father work at his station, Nathalie standing to the side with a tablet in hand. She nods to them and clears her throat. "Sir,"

"Adrien, you were supposed to be home--" Gabriel's voice catches in his throat when he looks away from his work. "Félix," he clears his throat and turns back to his work at hand. "I wasn't expecting you until the end of the week."

"Yes, well," Félix stands stiffly in the doorway. "I was able to leave sooner than I anticipated."

An awkward silence quickly fills the room. The two men don't make eye contact with one another, the tension between them able to be cut with a knife. Things have always been... Awkard, to say the least, between Félix and Gabriel. They never seemed to see eye to eye on anything, and it's been this way for as long as Adrien could remember. 

Adrien awkwardly shifts on his feet, looking between the three adults in the room. Even Nathalie seemed to be fidgeting with her stylus in the silence. He opens his mouth to say something but quickly shuts it. 

Finally, after what seems like hours, Gabriel breaks the silence; "As you both can see, I am busy, and Adrien, you have homework, I'm sure. So I'm afraid we'll have to save the reunion for later." 

Félix scoffs, and grumbles under his breath; "Nice to see nothing's changed..." before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

 

Adrien frowns, shifting his bag on his shoulder. He says nothing as he leaves the room, only to come to a halt in the foyer when he sees Félix making his way to the front door rather than upstairs. "Félix? Where are you going?"

"To check in at the Le Grand Paris."

"But--" Adrien looks between his brother and the stairs. "You have a room here! And it won't cost you anything! Why don't you just--"

"As I recall, Félix said that he 'couldn't live like this anymore' before leaving for Grenoble," Gabriel says as he enters the foyer, Nathalie not too far behind. "Or did I mishear you?"

"So you _are_ capable of listening to your children, interesting."

Gabriel's eyes narrow. "Do not take that tone with me."

"Or what? You'll send me to my room?" Félix challenges. "As _I_ recall, you said that once I left I didn't live here anymore, that this was no longer my home. Or did I mishear you?"

"He didn't mean it!" Adrien blurts out, shifting nervously on his feet when all eyes are on him. He hesitates for a few seconds to pick out the right words in hopes of defusing the situation. "Parents always say things they don't mean when they're upset," he concludes, looking to his father with pleading eyes. "Right...?"

"I gave you a choice," Gabriel says, ignoring his youngest. "I told you that if you wanted to leave this would no longer be your home, yes, and yet you still chose to leave. You chose to leave behind your home, your family, you said you couldn't live like this anymore. I would like to know why."

"Why don't you ask mother? I wouldn't be surprised if she isn't missing at all. She probably got tired of being a prisoner in her own home and left for the same reasons I did."

The foyer becomes dead silent, so much you could hear a pin drop. No one speaks, and no one moves a muscle. Adrien glances between his father and brother. Neither of them looks as if they're angry, in fact, they both look calm as if they had just been discussing the weather. 

"Get out," Gabriel says in a quiet voice. "If you're going to disrespect not only me but your mother, then you are no longer welcome here. So please leave." he turns on his heel and walks back towards his office.

Félix clicks his tongue and turns to the door. "I'll see you later, Adrien."

"No, you won't." Gabriel scowls, and both boys whirl around to face him. "You made the choice to leave your family behind, to not see them again. That includes Adrien."

"You can't--"

"I can, and I will." he turns back to them. He eyes Adrien, fingers twitching when he sees the look of disbelief on his face. His eyes dart to Félix, the same look of disbelief on his face, only laced with anger. "I really don't understand why you're so upset, Félix. You never made an effort to spend time with him before."

"When living here, you were always held up in your room. Always tired, always studying... You never once tried to play with your brother. In fact, the only time I can remember either of you doing anything together was nothing more than idle chit-chat at the dinner table."

"Look, I know I'm a poor excuse for a big brother, and I'm not even going to try and make any excuses, but I'm trying to fix it! Punishing Adrien for something he has nothing to do with is unfair, and you know it!" Félix's shoulders shake as he tries to keep his temper in check. 

"Fair or not, I've made up my mind. You're proving to be a bad influence, so really it's in his best interest."

"His best interest? You've _never_ had his best interest in mind, if you did then you wouldn't have kept him locked up here for his entire life!" Félix accuses him. "You have no right to tell me I didn't try enough to be a better brother when you won't even try to be a good father. You say I was always held up in my room, and you're right, but you're always in your office, you were never there for either of us when we needed you."

" _Nothing's_ changed. It's only gotten worse since mother left! Do you honestly think he's happy like this?"

Gabriel's eyes narrow. "Adrien, are you unhappy with how things are?"

Adrien stiffens at being called on so suddenly. "I, uh... Well, I--" he swallows hard under his father's hard gaze. "N-no, sir."

"There you have it," Gabriel turns his gaze back to his eldest. "I know what's best for him, just as I knew what was best for you."

"I was miserable growing up, I couldn't go outside, I didn't have any friends, the only things I was allowed to do was what you scheduled, and I hated all of it. You controlled _everything_ about my life. The only time I had control over myself was as C--" he stops himself and clears his throat. "My point being, this is why I left. This is why mother left, and if you're not careful, he'll want to leave too."

Gabriel lets out an exasperated sigh. "I don't have time for this," he glances at the Gorilla. "Please escort Mr. Agreste off my property," he says, the larger man said nothing as he follows orders. He turns around, walking to his office. "Nathalie, please take Adrien to his room."

"Father!" Adrien drops his bag. "Please, father, you can't--"

"Adrien you are not to see him again, should I find out you do, you will be punished. Do I make myself clear?" 

"But--"

" _Do I make myself clear?_ " the man repeats, looking over his shoulder.

Adrien's shoulders drop and he averts his eyes. "Yes, sir..."

Gabriel glances at Félix. He's shaking, struggling to keep his composure as the Gorilla opens the door for him. They say nothing to each other for a long moment before the young man tears his eyes away from him when a hand is placed on his back and he's escorted outside, the large doors closing behind them. Guilt pangs his chest when he sees the look on Adrien's face, averting his eyes when Nathalie looks at him before leading the boy upstairs. He lets out a sigh and steps into his office, gazing at the painting of his beloved wife.

 

"You were right when you said Félix and I have more in common than we think," he says with a bitter smile. "He's really good at bottling up his feelings. But he has his limits, and I knew from the second he stepped foot inside; he was there." he looks away from the portrait, closing his eyes.

"Master?" a small voice reaches his ears and he opens his eyes in order to face the kwami. Nooroo can easily tell what's going through his master's head, and he frowns deeply. 

"All he needed was a little nudge for that bottle to finally break," he removes his necktie, the gem on his collar glowing brightly. "So much sadness, fear, guilt, and anger--No, _fury_. The perfect ingredients for the perfect akuma."

Nooroo's wings droop with disappointment. He follows his masters gaze to the painting.

"I just pray she'll forgive me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Gabriel Is A Bad Father. You Can't Change My Mind.
> 
>  
> 
> So uh... Yeah, thanks for reading, I'll see you next update!


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I wrote this one pretty fast! It's been a while since I've written entire chapters back to back! Please enjoy!

Adrien lies on his bed with his face in his pillow. Everything is so painfully fresh in his mind, every word, every look, all of it plays over and over again in his head on repeat. He can just barely hear Plagg talking over it. But whatever the kwami was saying, he couldn't make it out.

"It's not fair," he says, voice muffled by his pillow. "How could he do something like that?" he turns his head when he feels Plagg paw at the corner of his eye, realizing he had been crying. Adrien sits up and wipes at his eyes. "Sorry, Plagg. What is it you were saying?"

Plagg's tail lashes from side to side. "Nothing," he answers. His ears flatten when Adrien raises an eyebrow. "I'm just kind of worried about your brother, that's all."

Adrien blinks. "You are?" the kwami's tail becomes faster, and he shakes while humming; as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. Adrien pats Plagg on the head, smiling gently. "I guess we'll have to go check on him then,"

"You mean you would go against your father's wishes and go see your brother?" he asks, smiling at the mischievous glint in the boy's eye.

"Father didn't say anything about Chat Noir not being allowed to see his brother." Adrien stands from the bed and grins. "Plagg, claws out!"

 

Félix slams the door behind him when he enters the hotel room. He's shaking, his blood boiling, as he tries to keep himself in check. It took every ounce of self-restraint he had not to hit his father. He knew it wouldn't help, and it would have only made things worse, but it would have made him feel a little better.

He always knew his father was neither a kind or understanding man and that things had to be done his way or no way at all. But to go as far as to refuse to let him see his brother, it was... It was downright cruel!

He slams his fist down on the door in frustration and leans his head back on the door. He stares up at the ceiling, blinking back the tears that threaten to spill over. He grows stiff when he feels something crawl along his hand. The feeling only lasts for a few seconds before it vanishes, and everything he had been feeling at that moment is amplified.

_"Good evening, young man."_

 

Chat Noir leaps from building to building, landing in a tree outside the Le Grand Paris hotel. He hums, eyeing the windows. He has no idea what room Félix would be staying in, and it's not like he can just waltz in and ask the front desk for his room number. Going in and asking the front desk as either Chat Noir or Adrien would land him and his brother in hot water.

Sneaking out was a great idea in concept, but now that he was here... His ears droop and he huffs. "Man, this is going to be harder than I thought..."

"So, you're the new Chat Noir, huh?" Chat Noir jumps at the voice, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up in surprise. He whirls around, eyebrows knitting in confusion at the young man standing on a tree branch of the tree beside him. "What's the matter?" he tilts his head to the side, messy blonde hair falling into blue eyes. " _Chat_ got our tongue?" 

Chat Noir stares at the other. He's donning a suit that is eerily similar to his own; only in white. His boots were taller, clawed gloves longer, the light grey belt wrapped around his waist was considerably longer, and the bell on his chest was silver rather than gold. It was... Oddly familiar.

His eyes widen when he notices the butterfly shape of his mask, the signature trait of an Akuma. The Akuma grins in amusement. "Allow me to introduce myself," he puts a hand to his chest. "I am Chat Blanc." he glares at Chat Noir with narrow eyes. "And you're going to be a good kitten and give me the Miraculous."

 

Marinette sits at the table with Alya in silence as they do their homework, with Sabine in the kitchen cooking dinner, while Alya's younger sisters watch TV in the living room. 

"Hey," Marinette leans protectively over her paper. "No peeking."

Alya gives an overdramatic gasp. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, are you accusing me, your _best friend_ in the whole wide world of peeking? I am truly offended." the two girls break into a giggle fit, only to be interrupted by a loud crash outside. They're immediately at the window, the twins join them, pressing their faces on the glass.

"Oh! It's Chat Noir!" Etta exclaims, and Alya whips out her phone to record him.

"No, it's Chat Blanc!" Ella argues.

Sure enough, there were two catsuited individuals, one in black and one in white. Marinette's nose scrunches as she watches them. Chat Blanc was saying something to Chat Noir, and Chat Noir says something back. The next thing they know, Blanc lunges at Noir and they disappear down an alleyway.

"Oh man," Alya bounces on her heels with excitement. "Chat Noir vs Chat Blanc... Marinette we have got to get this on tape!" before Marinette can answer, she's out the door.

"Alya, wait for me!" she runs after her.

Marinette follows Alya down the alleyway, both of them coming to a halt when neither Chat Noir or Chat Blanc was in sight. Alya groans in frustration, but another crash in the distance gains her attention and she follows the sound. Marinette stays behind this time, Tikki zipping out from her purse.

"Chat Noir's in trouble," Marinette says. "We have to help him. Tikki, spots on!"

 

"Look, as much as I love playing with you, I have places to be," Chat Blanc says in annoyance. "Just give me the miraculous and no one has to get hurt and we can both go on our merry way."

Chat Noir hums in thought. "Nah, I think I'll keep it." he narrowly dodges an attack from Blanc. "But maybe we could talk about it? Cat to cat, over some cream?" grabs him by the wrist when he tries to attack him from behind, ready to flip him.

His eyes widen and everything happens in slow motion as he catches sight of the ring he wore on his middle finger. It was white, shaped like a cat, with blue eyes and a blue gem on the forehead. That was Félix's ring. Knowing that Hawk Moth was able to sink his claws into his brother, it makes anger bubble up in his chest, only to quickly be chased away by sadness, knowing that his father had upset him _this_ badly.

Chat Blanc takes the chance to break free, grabbing Noir by the arm and tossing him into the side of a car, setting off its alarm. "You're too slow," he flexes his claws. "I'm done playing games."

He lunges for Cat Noir once more, only to be forced to a stop when something tightly wraps around his wrist before he can touch him. 

"Turf war, Chaton?" Ladybug pulls Chat Blanc away. "Looks like I got here in time."

Chat Noir smiles fondly at her, joining her side. "You always do, Bugaboo."

She smiles and turns her attention back to Chat Blanc. "Unless you have Antibug with you, you're outnumbered," she says as they both get into a fighting stance.

Chat Blanc grins. "I still have a few tricks up my sleeve." He yanks his wrist free from the wire of Ladybug's yo-yo and extends his fist. A small ball of white energy forming in front of the ring on his finger. It grows larger and larger, and his grin widens once it's roughly the size of a car. "White Storm!"

Chat Noir grabs Ladybug and drops to the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack. He holds her close to him in an attempt to protect her, not letting go until she pushes herself free. The both look behind them to see the damage the attack had done.

Storefronts were torn off, cars were crushed, trees were broken, water was spouting from fire hydrants, and the street and sidewalk were destroyed, leaving a large trench as far as the eye could see. Chat Noir's blood runs cold as he stares at it. At the sheer destructive power the attack had. He glances at his ring, Cataclysm was nothing compared to this.

"Aw," Blanc's tone is mocking. "Does the poor kitten not know the full extent of his powers?" Ladybug and Chat Noir turn to face him. Noir swallows hard under Blanc's gaze and finds himself trying to make himself seem smaller as he calmly walks over to them. 

"The Miraculous is too much for you, you should really give it to someone who knows how to use it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real quick; 
> 
> While in the context of this series, Black Storm is a very powerful, and destructive attack it has one fatal flaw; Lack of Control. It's more akin to Plagg's Cataclysm that we see in Style Queen.
> 
> While Cataclysm is obviously a more controlled attack as the user is able to destroy anything they touch with it active, thus making it the superior attack.
> 
> Thank you for reading! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Stay tuned for the next update


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /dances/ here's chapter four. Thank you for reading and please enjoy!

Chat Noir's heart pounds in his chest as he leans against a bus. He and Ladybug were hiding, trying to work out some sort of plan to stop Chat Blanc. He was fast, strong, and his White Storm attack was something neither of them wanted to see again. He leans his head back and allows himself to let his mind race, tuning out whatever Ladybug was saying.

_'Does the poor kitten not know the full extent of his powers?'_ the words echo in his head as he looks at his ring. Was that something he could even do? He knew the Miraculous was powerful, but to have such a destructive power... It was frightening.

But, how does he know what the Cat Miraculous is capable of? Was Hawk Moth feeding him information? That had to be it, there was no other way he could possibly know about it otherwise.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug snaps, pulling him from his thoughts. "Are you listening?"

"I, uh, no. I'm sorry," he shakes his head and slaps his cheeks. "That attack it just... He caught me off guard."

Ladybug gives him a sympathetic nod. "I understand, but I need you to stay focused Chat," she puts a hand on his shoulder and smiles gently.

He gives her a nod. "So what's the plan?"

 

"Here, kitty kitty," Chat Blanc coos as he searches for Ladybug and Chat Noir. "It's not nice to hide, you know." he stops in the middle of the street, impatiently tapping his foot on the pavement. One of his cat ears twitch and he hops to the side, narrowly avoiding Chat Noir's staff. He grabs it and uses it to pull him closer.

"You know, I'm a little jealous," he says, yanking the staff from Chat's grasp, and holding him at arm's length and the staff above his head as he grabs for it. "This would have really come in handy..." 

"Give it back!" Chat Noir jumps for it, letting out a groan when Blanc continues to hold him back. He pushes against his hand, standing on his tip-toes in an attempt to reach it."Gimme it!" Blanc releases him and sidesteps, causing him to faceplant on the ground.

"Gimme, gimme never gets, kitten." he teases, holding the staff over his shoulder. He grins in amusement at Chat's growl. Chat Noir grunts when he pins him down with his boot in the middle of his back. "Ask me nicely."

_"Stop playing games!"_ Hawk Moth barks. _"Get me his miraculous!"_

Blanc rolls his eyes. "Relax, I'm just having a little fun." he presses the button on the staff, extending it and using it to pin Chat's hand to the ground. "I'm afraid playtime's over, kid," he says. "I'll be taking back my--"

Chat Blanc stumbles forward when Ladybug uses her yo-yo as a fishing line, wrapping it around the staff and roughly pulling him forward. With another hard pull, the staff slips from his grasp and she catches it with a smirk.

"We're not done playing just yet," she says.

They charge at each other. Blanc ducks to avoid a swing of the staff and Ladybug jumps back in order to avoid a low spinning sweep kick. Chat Noir's eyebrows knit together when Chat Blanc presses his palm to the ground, energy surging from the ring before he leaps back when Ladybug charges at him again.

"Ladybug, look out!" he scrambles to his feet and runs forward, grabbing her by the waist with one hand and his staff with the other. They fall into the hole created by Chat Blanc, Chat Noir using his staff to keep them from falling to the bottom. Ladybug's arms were secure around his neck, allowing him to use both hands to hold. 

"What just happened?" Ladybug asks, blinking in surprise. She reaches up with one hand to grab the staff, only to wrap it back around Chat's neck when she slips.

"It's called White Hole," Chat Blanc answers. He stands at the edge of the pit he created, looking down at them. "It's another thing we can do, kitten." he crouches down, propping his elbow on his knee and resting his chin in his hand. "If things were different, I'd teach you."

"Why do you know so much about the Miraculous?" Chat Noir demands. He tries to pull himself and Ladybug up out of the hole, but the staff rolls around with his movement, making him unable to keep a firm grip on it.

"How do you _think_ I know?"

He opens his mouth to respond but quickly closes it. Hawk Moth could be feeding him the information, sure, but, his gut told him that wasn't right. It told him that Félix at one point or another, had the Miraculous himself. But that can't be right either. He would know if there was another Chat Noir before him. Félix was only in his twenties, so if he _did_ possess the Miraculous, it had to have been within the past ten years. But that can't be it... He would _remember_ there being another Chat Noir that recently. He flinches when Blanc pats him on the head.

"I'll let you figure out an answer," he stands up. "I'm going to pay my father a little visit, and when I come back I'll be taking the Miraculous'. So stay put." he smirks. "Not that you have much of a choice."

Chat Blanc disappears from sight, leaving Ladybug and Chat Noir hanging in the pit. Chat Noir continues to try and himself and Ladybug out. He had to get out of here. He wasn't sure what Chat Blanc was intending to do to him, but no matter how he looks at it, his father is in danger. He freezes when another face pokes over the pit.

Ladybug follows his gaze and smiles brightly. "Alya!"

Alya gives them a grin. "Need a hand?"

 

"How do you know he's heading to the Agreste mansion?" Ladybug questions as she and Chat Noir leap from roof to roof.

"It's what my gut's telling me," he answers. They skid to a halt when the building is in sight, and he pulls out his staff. "You take the front, I'll take the back. Just... Give me about five minutes to try and lure him outside. The last thing we need is him using that White Storm of his indoors."

Ladybug looks at him with concern. "Chat are you sure?" 

He's not sure, not in the slightest, but he still gives her a confident smile. "I'm sure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D
> 
> I'll see you guys next update!


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the second to last chapter! Please enjoy

"Claws in!" Adrien stumbles as he lands the floor of his room. He looks at Plagg. The kwami's tail was swishing from side to side in agitation, his ears pinned back and a serious expression on his face. Adrien opens his mouth to ask him the question on the tip of his tongue;

_Was Félix Chat Noir?_

But he's unable to. So instead he motions for Plagg to hide in his shirt before leaving his room to seek out his father. He runs down the stairs and beelines to his father's office, skidding to a stop when he finds Chat Blanc pinning Gabriel to the wall.

"Félix, stop!" Adrien shouts, gaining their attention.

Chat Blanc glances at him. "Go to your room, Adrien. Father and I are having a private conversation right now."

"I will not--"

"Listen to your brother, Adrien." Gabriel cuts him off, giving him a hard look. "This doesn't concern you."

"Doesn't concern--" Adrien's face turns hot with frustration. "Of course this concerns me! We're a family! We're supposed to work stuff like this out together! We're supposed to talk about things!"

"He made it clear he doesn't want to talk!" Chat Blanc snaps. "That I'm not worth his time!" he turns back to Gabriel, glaring daggers at him. "I was never worth your time, even before I left, you wanted nothing to do with me!"

"That's..." Adrien can't bring himself to say it isn't true. He wants too, but, he can't say it with certainty. "Félix, please, let him go."

"Why? All of this is his fault!"

"I _know!_ I know he upset you, I know what he decided was incredibly unfair, and I know you were unhappy living here! But hurting him isn't going to fix anything!"

"Maybe not, but it'll make me feel a hell of a lot better."

Adrien swallows hard. He knows there's no reasoning with Akuma's, but, he at least had to try. He doesn't know what to do. He has to transform back into Chat Noir, but he knows the only thing keeping Chat Blanc from hurting their father is his presence. He clenches his fists. All he can do now is keep him distracted long enough for Ladybug to come.

 

Ladybug anxiously taps her foot. She looks up at the mansion, chewing her lower lip in worry. She knew Chat Noir wasn't sure like he said he was, she could see it all over his face. But she trusts him and trusts that he knows what he's doing. But still, she was worried about him. He's been out of it ever since he used that White Storm attack, and while Chat Blanc seems to enjoy toying with him, he wasn't against hurting him either. A couple of more minutes pass, and with a flick of the wrist, her yo-yo is secure around a railhead of the iron fence.

"Ready or not, here I come."

 

"Félix, please. Let him go," Adrien pleads. "For me?"

Chat Blanc's ears pin back, and screws his eyes shut as he growls in frustration. He steps away from Gabriel, the man falling to the floor with a grunt. "Fine. I let him go, are you happy now?"

Adrien shakes his head and Blanc looks at him with confusion. "I'm not going to be happy until you're back to normal." he holds out his hand with his palm facing up. "The Akuma, give it to me and Ladybug can purify it, and everything will be back to how it was."

Blanch scoffs. "Oh yeah, that'll be fun. Back to a life of being told what to do and what to say," he turns his attention back to Gabriel. "Back to having no control over anything in my life? No thank you." he looks back to Adrien with a smile. "But once I deliver the Miraculous' to Hawk Moth, you and I both can do whatever we want, and go wherever we want."

"The only place you're going to is the pound!" Ladybug's voice rings out. Her yo-yo circles him, and before he has time to react, his arms are bound tightly to his sides.

"Didn't your parents teach you to mind your own business?" he snarls.

"They did, but it _is_ my business when someone's in danger."

"Oh, how noble of you." he struggles to break free. "You know, I was a lot like you and the kitten, I wanted to save everyone--" he's able to pull one hand free. "But as I got older, I realized--" he grabs the wire, and with a hard yank frees himself. He shoots another look towards Gabriel. "Some people don't deserve to be saved." he lunges at her.

 

Adrien presses his back to the wall and lets out a shaky breath. He had used the distraction of Ladybug's entrance to sneak off and hide somewhere. He and Plagg share a look, the kwami giving him a nod. "Plagg, Claws out!"

Chat Noir quickly joins the battle, catching Ladybug when Chat Blanc sends her flying. "I thought you were going to get him outside?" she questions in a hushed tone, spinning her yo-yo.

"I know, I know, but I got trapped in another one of his holes on the way," he explains in an equally hushed tone. He extends his staff and faces Chat Blanc. He swallows any doubt he has in him, deciding it's best to let the questions he has knaw at him later. For now, he has to focus on saving his family.

"My, my, such a serious look from a kitten," Chat Blanc says. He gives a fanged grin. "That's what I've been waiting for. Show me what you can do; that you're worthy of being Chat Noir!"

 

Gabriel stands in the doorway of his office, watching the battle between Ladybug, Chat Noir and Chat Blanc unfold. Félix's transformation to Chat Blanc was something that had taken him by surprise. Usually, those he akumatizes as Hawk Moth are granted an appearance and abilities based on the item that houses the Akuma, or the circumstances of their akumatization. But with Félix, it was as if his transformation was influenced by something else.

 _'The only time I had control over myself was as C--'_ His eyes narrow behind his glasses. Perhaps it was influenced by-- No. He shakes his head. No, that couldn't be. 

 

"Very good!" Chat Blanc says with a laugh as he skids back on the floor. "You're much stronger than I thought you were, kitten." he grabs Ladybug's yo-yo string and twists it around his arm. He uses it to throw her directly into Chat Noir, sending them both tumbling to the ground. "But not strong enough."

Chat Noir groans from landing on the floor so hard. He blinks until his vision clears. He props himself up on his elbows. "Look, I know what it's like," he says, causing both Ladybug and Chat Blanc to look at him with confusion. "I know what it's like to have _this_ ," he shows him the ring on his finger. "Be your only key to freedom."

"That's what you want, right? Well... I think there's more to it than that. I think you want to know your father approves of you," he slowly rises to his feet, glancing at Gabriel as he does. "You want to know that he cares about and that you matter to him. I also think that deep down, you do want to come home." 

Chat Blanc seems to be taken off guard. He stammers, opening and closing his mouth in an attempt to say something in response. He growls in frustration. "What do you know? You're just a kid!" he shouts, white energy forming around his ring.

Chat Noir doesn't respond. His eyes are locked on the ring. Al he has to do is break it. "Cataclysm!"

"Cataclysm, huh?" Blanc scoffs. "Just what do you intend to do with that, kitten?"

"Ladybug, protect Mr. Agreste," he says while hooking his staff to his belt. "I don't know what will happen, but I need you to keep him safe, okay?"

"Chat Noir, what are you planning?" Ladybug looks at him with concern.

"I'm going to break his ring, so be ready for the Akuma."

Before Ladybug can protest, they lunge at one another, dodging any attack they throw at each other. She joins Gabriel Agreste's side, using her yo-yo to create a shield large enough to protect them both. 

Chat Noir slides back to avoid a kick, keeping himself from falling with his free hand. He quickly recollects himself and charges, extending his hand powered with Cataclysm, bracing himself for whatever may come when Chat Blanc does the same.

The two Cataclysms touch one another, creating a shock wave of negative energy that affects everything around them. The house itself shakes as if there were an earthquake, windows shatter, bookshelves topple over, the pictures on the walls dissolve into nothing, the potted plants indoors and even the plants in the garden outside wither and die, the stairs crumble and cracks run through the floors, walls, and ceiling. Ladybug's yo-yo is just barely able to protect her and Gabriel from the wave, and they both struggle to stay standing.

The house stops shaking, and everything's silent. Chat Noir opens his eyes when the sound of something falling on the floor reaches his ears. Upon looking down, he finds Chat Blanc's ring in pieces on the floor, a black butterfly emerging from it, fluttering aimlessly around them, and Blanc falls to his knees in a daze.

Ladybug regains her footing and runs forward, opening her yo-yo and swinging it. "It's time to de-evilize!" the Akuma's captured, and when he releases it, it's once again a pure white butterfly. She smiles as she watches it flutter away. "Bye-bye, little butterfly."

 

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

Gabriel watches as, within seconds, everything is back to how it should be. It was as if nothing had happened. He sees the black and purple bubbly mass engulf Chat Blanc before dissolving, returning Félix to his normal state. He steps forward, watching as his son grips his head before glancing around in confusion. 

Félix looks at Gabriel in confusion when he gets down on his knees before him. He goes to speak, but the words quickly die off in his throat when his father pulls him into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Félix," he says. "For everything."

Félix was at a loss for words, so instead, he hesitantly returns his father's hug, resting his chin on his shoulder. Tears sting his eyes and he begins to tremble, prompting Gabriel to tighten his hold and rub his back. He looks up at Ladybug and Chat Noir when he hears a beeping, seeing Chat Noir glance at his ring.

"Well, that's our cue," Ladybug says with a smile. "Come on, kitten."

Chat Noir scowls. "Don't call me that."

"Wait a moment," Gabriel stops them. "My youngest... Adrien, where is he?"

"Oh, I uh," Chat Noir pauses. "I locked him in the bathroom for safety," he states with a grin. His ring beeps again. "I need to be off now, goodbye!"

 

"I can't believe you did that," Ladybug says as she and Chat Noir land on the rooftop. "You could have killed us all, you know that, right?"

He smiles at her. "Then it's a good thing I had my Lucky Charm with me then, huh Bugaboo?"

Ladybug smiles and rolls her eyes. "I'll see you later, _kitten_."

His face flushes behind his mask. "Don't call me that!" he calls after her as she leaves. He can hear her laughing in the distance and he smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cataclysm + Cataclysm = CATastrophy
> 
> Gabriel is still a bad father, but I wanted him to hug his kid okay.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is guys, the last chapter of my self-indulgent AU fic. I hope you enjoy it.

The second Chat Noir lands in his room, the timer runs out and he's reverted back to Adrien. He catches the exhausted kwami, promising him some cheese before quickly stowing him away inside his shirt and running out of his room. He stops at the top of the stare case when he sees his father helping his brother to his feet. Félix notices him and his face turns red as he quickly turns away to rub at his eyes.

He clears his throat. "I... I should be going,"

"Going where exactly? To that hotel?" Gabriel questions, raising an eyebrow. Félix looks at him with confusion. "You have a perfectly good room here, Félix." 

Félix raises an eyebrow skeptically. "But you said--"

"I know what I said, but..." Gabriel takes a breath. "It's like Adrien said; parents say things they don't mean when they're upset." he smiles and puts a hand on his son's shoulder. "If you want, you're more than welcome to stay here while you search for an apartment."

"An apartment?" Adrien repeats.

"I wasn't going to say anything until I found a place, but... Yes, I switched schools and I'm moving back to Paris." Félix answers. "But I've already rented the room and I don't want to impose."

"Don't be absurd, this is your home. You're always welcome here." Gabriel says. "I'll have the Gorilla take you in the morning to get your car and belongings." he walks up the stairs and Félix opens his mouth to protest. "I've made up my mind, Félix, you know there's nothing you can say to change it." he glances over his shoulder. "It's what your mother would have wanted."

Félix goes to say something but quickly closes his mouth. There really wasn't any arguing with that. "Well, alright then. Thank you, father."

"Welcome home, son."

 

Adrien watches as Plagg inhales a wedge of camembert in one gulp, and he sticks out his tongue."How can you do that?"

"It's a talent."

He rolls his eyes at the response before looking at his ring. He was itching to ask Plagg what it could do, and how Félix knew it could do it, but every time he tried, he was unable to get the words out. He would ask Félix, but, like most people who were akumatized, he was unable to remember what he did or said as Chat Blanc.

"What's eating you, Adrien?" Plagg asks.

"I just-- I have questions, but I don't know how to ask them." he flops back on the couch. He holds out his hand, staring at the ring. "I want to know why he knew so much about the Miraculous." he already knows, but he needs to hear it from Félix, and it's not like Plagg could tell him... He was pretty sure there was some magic rule preventing him from talking about his past Chat Noirs. 

"Why don't you ask him?" the kwami suggests, and Adrien scoffs.

"I have no idea how to talk to him, Plagg. Father was right, he always stayed in his room and I never got to see him." he lowers his arm and lets it hang over the side of the couch. "I wish I knew why..."

Plagg huffs and flies over to and takes him by his jacket, pulling him up and off the couch. "Go talk to him, maybe you can break the ice with a nice plate of camembert."

Adrien stumbles some when Plagg drags him to the door. "How are you so strong? You weigh like three ounces."

 

Adrien holds his fist up to the door, ready to knock. But he doesn't. "What do I even say to him? I mean, the last time we saw each other was after mom had..." he trails off, frowning deeply. "And then today... And father never actually said that we could--" his voice catches in his throat when Plagg knocks on Félix's door before quickly hiding in his jacket. "Plagg, what did you just do?"

"You're welcome."

Before Adrien can do or say anything else, the door opens and Félix stands in the doorway. "Adrien?" he raises an eyebrow. "You look like you got your hand caught in the cookie jar."

"I, uh..." Adrien straightens up, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was hoping that you would help me with my homework!" he blurts out. He mentally slaps himself as Félix stares at him and feels Plagg shake from either suppressing a groan or laughter. Most likely the latter.

 

Félix gives him a small smile. "I'd be happy too, Adrien."

 

"What is it that you're having problems with?"

"Um," Adrien taps his pencil on the desk. "Math?" he grins sheepishly, looking away when Félix crosses his arms and looks at him. "Okay, I lied, I don't need help with my homework. I just... Wanted to hang out with you. And... I have questions."

Félix smiles and sits on the bed, patting the spot beside him. "What's on your mind, Adrien?"

Adrien doesn't answer and fiddles with his ring. After a few moments, he takes a breath. "How come you always stayed in your room when we were younger? Didn't you want to spend time with me?"

"Of course I did! I wanted to spend time with you so much, but I just... I was scared." Adrien looks at Félix, prompting him to continue. "I was always getting hurt in one way or another when I was younger, be it tripping and falling, having books fall off the shelf and onto my head... If it was possible, it happened to me, and, I couldn't forgive myself if you got hurt because of me."

"But, it's not like that now," Félix says with a smile. "I mean, I may not have the best luck in the world, but it's not as bad as it was then. That's why I decided to move back to Paris, so you and I could reconnect and make up for lost time."

Adrien smiles. "That sounds nice, but I... I have one more question." his brother looks at him, and he bites his lip. He glances at his brothers ring, and then at his own, noticing how Félix follows his gaze. He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "It's nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." He nods and hugs him around the middle. "Don't find an apartment to fast, okay? I mean it."

Félix laughs and hugs him back. "I'll do my best."

 

"Why didn't you ask him?" Plagg questions once Adrien enters his room. "You had the perfect chance."

"I know," Adrien answers. "But, if he wants me to know, then he'll tell me. Simple as that." he smiles at the kwami.

"Well, I can't argue with that." he shrugs. "Anyway, I'm hungry."

Adrien rolls his eyes. "You just ate, Plagg."

 

"I'm sorry," Félix says. "I only said what I did because I was angry, I didn't mean any of it. I know you wouldn't just abandon us like that." he looks up at the painting of his mother. It was the middle of the night, everyone's gone to sleep, but he couldn't get what he said about her out of his head. So here he is, standing in his father's office talking to a painting. "I hope you'll forgive me..."

"Of course she will," Félix jumps at the sudden voice but relaxes at the familiar weight on his shoulder. " You're her little bluebird, after all."

His face turns hot in embarrassment. "She hasn't called me that in years..." 

"I've seen a lot of mothers in my time, and they're all the same. Once you're her bluebird, you'll always be her bluebird."

"Yeah, yeah, I know... What are you doing out here anyway? Isn't there some sort of rule about revealing yourself to others?"

"Probably, but you know I'm not one to follow the rules. Besides, you know you missed me." Félix doesn't respond to this, and it earns him a few taps on the face. "You missed me, admit it."

"All I can say is that I do not miss having books dropped on my head all the time," he deadpans. "Seriously you gave me a concussion once."

"Hey, it's not _all_ my fault. You said it yourself, bad luck follows you like the plague."

"Yes, and _you_ were that plague for five years." they fall silent, both of them staring at the painting. 

"... Are you going to tell him?"

Félix shakes his head. "No. If he wants to know, he'll ask me." he ignores the grumbling he gets in response about he and Adrien being 'impossible'. "Just... Take care of him for me out there, alright Plagg?"

"Sure thing, kid." Plagg smiles. His ears twitch and he dives inside Félix's shirt. Before the young man can question him, the light turns on.

 

"Félix? What are you doing in here?" he whirls around to face Gabriel. "It's one in the morning."

"I couldn't sleep." he answers, eyes falling on the book in his father's hands.

Gabriel follows his gaze. "I couldn't sleep either, so I thought I would do some late night reading. Or try to at least," he notices the interested look in his son's eyes. "I'm afraid I'm unable to decipher it." he steps up to the painting and pulls it back to reveal the safe he has hidden behind it. He stops suddenly and turns to Félix.

"You're majoring in literature, aren't you?" the question takes Félix off guard, but he nods after a few seconds. "Then, perhaps you may be able to translate it." he hands him the book.

Félix blinks at his father in surprise before turning his full attention to the book. He opens it to a random page, eyebrows knitting together at what it contained. "Where did you get this?" he asks.

"Your mother gave it to me before she..." his voice trails off. "Anyway, I use it as a source of inspiration. I believe it may be a mythology book, and I'm curious as to what it says."

He hums at the response, scanning the page. "It's strange, this book is coded in nyctography, but nyctography wasn't invented until the late 1800's, but this book seems much holder than that." he turns the page, scrunching his nose. "I can't even begin to guess when it was written..."

"But can you translate it?"

"I'm not exactly an expert in nyctography, but... Given enough time, I'm sure I can make sense of it," he says. "I can work on it during my free time if you want me to."

Gabriel smiles. "Thank you, son. But for now," he takes the book from him, chuckling lightly at the disappointed sound he makes. "It's late and you and I both should be asleep." he places the book in the safe and closes it.

 

Félix follows Gabriel when he puts a hand on his shoulder and leads him from the room and upstairs. "I'll give you the safe combination in the morning, so you can access the book whenever you'd like," he says, patting the young man's shoulder. "Goodnight, son."

Félix stands there, completely dumbfounded. Plagg pokes his head out of his shirt, looking up at him with curious green eyes. "He trusts me."

"You're not going to cry, are you?"

Félix scowls at the kwami and walks to his brother's room. He opens the door, being as quiet as possible as to not wake Adrien. "Goodnight, Plagg." 

Plagg snickers and flies into the bedroom. Félix pokes his head in, spotting the lump on the bed, finding the boy tangled in his covers. He lets out a sigh and walks over to the bed, untangling him and properly tucking him in as Plagg hovers beside him. Félix gives Adrien a quick kiss on the head before standing up, when he turns to leave a hand grabs his wrist.

"Stay?" Adrien asks groggily. "Just for tonight?"

Félix smiles softly. "Sure, kitten."

Plagg stares at the two as they settle into bed, Adrien was out like a light the second Félix lied down next to him, curling up to his brother's chest and snoring softly as his Félix drifts off. The image was all too familiar to the kwami. He smiles softly and curls up on the pillow above their heads, letting out a content sigh.

"Just like old times."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this story :D
> 
> Thank you all so, so much for reading it! I'll see you guys again soon. I'm going to focus on some other projects I have in the works before jumping to my next ML one.
> 
> Until then, stay Miraculous! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

**Author's Note:**

> /dances/ thanks for reading! I'll see you guys in my next update (for whatever story it is I'll be updating. I'm writing a lot atm)


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